Of Monsters and Men
by Ech0Tang0
Summary: The eleventh Doctor, Charlotte (his companion), and River Song visit Asgard to have dinner with the royal family. River, the former babysitter/nanny of the two boys, realizes that Odin had never told Loki about his true heritage and takes the matter into her own hands, only to find that he's already pieced two and two together.


**Author's Note:** This is the first full one-shot that I've posted here…so I honestly don't know what to expect in regards to comments, hate, etc. I edited it but there might be some mistakes. This is supposed to be set before the Thor movie and River left for "a little while" then comes back, this is what happens. I'm sorry if it sucks and I regret nothing if it makes you have feelings. COMMENTS APPRECIATED, please 'like' if you read it and liked it. :3 -Effie

* * *

The banquet hall was normally bustling with servants and numerous important Asgardians, but today it only held the royal family, a few well-known warriors, and three visitors. Their laughter and the clatter of silverware echoed through the large hall and the people were having a wonderful time despite the potentially dangerous subject looming in the back of a few of their minds. Though Loki was nowhere to be found, one of the women at the table was trying not to focus solely on him. Despite what almost all of the Asgardians thought, River Song, time traveler extraordinaire, was not romantically involved with him in anyway. She was just a babysitter and a part-time therapist who had looked after Thor and Loki for a year or two when they were younger, taking the occasional break to help the Doctor.

She sat deep in thought for a few moments, occasionally playing with her food. Finally took a few sips of her wine and turned her head towards the Doctor, who was trying not to stuff the Asgardian potatoes in his mouth.

"Do you want to tell him-" She asked, toying with the napkin in her lap.

"Uhm, no. If he destroys the place because I tell him, I'll never be able to picnic here again. You tell him."

"Doctor-"

"You've been friends with the family for years! Just go tell him." He huffed popping another potato in his mouth. "Ibts not dat hahd." He made a face at her with the potatoes stuffed in his cheeks like a chipmunk and a smile played on her lips. _It'll still be harder than try to get a fez off your head._

"Fine." River turned to Frigga who sat to her right and lowered her voice, leaning in slightly so that no one could easily overhear her.

"Do you know where Loki is? I need to speak to him."

"He may be in his room, the library, or the garden. Do you need me to show you around?"

"Oh no thank you, I know this place inside and out. I'll be back soon." River stood up and placed her napkin on her seat before sliding her chair under the table and stalking off towards the large entrance that lead to the rest of the palace. Her boots clicked against the polished stone floors and she tugged her leather jacket tighter around her busty frame as she made her way down the hall. She hoped that she wouldn't be able to find Loki so she could reschedule the inevitable conversation for another day.

Back in the banquet hall, the Doctor's companion, Charlotte, sat beside Thor, who had just become her newest alien friend. Though they didn't have many common interests, they were both fascinated with each other's' worlds.

"Earth is a great place, have you been there?"

"Yes, once…and I was almost run over by a car."

"Oh my gosh, that sounds horrible. I was almost run over in New York when I was visiting my friend."

"You need to be more careful, Asgardians can handle being run over plenty of times, but you cannot." He said gently, smiling down at her. The little blonde girl blushed and looked down in her lap, but looked up as she was hit by a rather large pea that the Doctor had flung at her. He gave her a cheeky grin and then held up the keys to the TARDIS, jangling them a little for emphasis.

"Go show him the TARDIS." He wiggled his almost non-existent eyebrows and making the blush creep down her neck

"Doctor-" She gently scolded, her cheeks turning tomato red, her porcelain skin looked even paler than ever with the blush firmly placed on her thin face.

"Go ahead, I don't mind." He tossed her keys and his sonic screwdriver then nodded to the door.

"Yes, show me this 'TARDIS'!"

"Oh alright right, fine. I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"That's the spirit, now go have fun, but don't mess up the place. And no partying."

"No promises." She winked and stood up, then delicately took Thor's hand and tugged him towards the door that led outside. The Doctor's eyes dropped down to his plate and his eyebrows furrowed. _No more potatoes._ He glanced around for some more, hoping to get the last of them, but instead, his eyes followed Charlotte and Thor, who had stopped to talk to someone.

"Hello Thor, is that time traveler still here?" Sif awkwardly tucked a lock of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear and gnawed on her lip. Under normal circumstances, she'd never be nervous about talking to an ordinary person, but the Doctor wasn't ordinary and he wasn't really a human or Asgardian either. She also didn't want to be wrong, she had told her friends that there was no such thing as a time traveler with a blue-box and she didn't want to have to explain to them that he actually did exist.

"Oh yeah, he's still here. He's the man in the bow tie with the floppy hair."

"Yes, what she said." Sif gently nodded and murmured a 'thank you' before continuing into the spacious room. She watched the man frown at the beans on his plate and push them around as if debating whether or not to eat them. They were a very odd yellow color and were in a strange orange sauce that made his stomach churn. He set down his fork, not wanting to risk whatever strange things those beans could contain, then looked up to see Sif sitting down in Charlotte's seat.

"Are you the time-traveler?"

"Yes, I think I am. And you are?"

"Sif, uhm I have many questions that I would like answered."

"Ask as many as you like, I won't be eating…uhm, those things," He motioned towards the oddly colored beans, "Any time soon."

* * *

River knew the Doctor was still stuffing potatoes in his mouth so he couldn't cause too much trouble, unlike herself. She was starting to question whether or not it was the right time to tell him. If she let Odin tell him later on, she'd risk letting Earth be destroyed. If she told him now, there was a good chance that the world would end just as it normally would, in a fiery blast with Cassandra, the limp piece of skin, watching her homeland burn like the pits of hell.

It took her a moment to realize that she had completely walked past Loki's room. Shaking her thoughts aside, she let herself slowly amble towards his door all while mentally preparing herself for the possible chaos. For a moment or so, she stood at the doorway, listening for any movement inside. All that could be heard was a muffled crying. She gently knocked on the door and the crying abruptly ceased.

"Loki, it's me, River. May I come in?" He sniffled and she gently nudged the door open. River's brown eyes widened into saucers as she took in the scene before her. In the dim light, she could barely make out his blue figure under the silk blankets. Wet, sloppy tears streamed down his face. "Oh dear…I'm so sorry, I never wanted you to find out this w-"

"Well it's too late for that." He whimpered pathetically, wiping his nose.

"I was planning on telling you tonight, breaking the news to you slowly…"

"How long have you known?" She let out a sigh and made her way towards him, being careful to not trip on the large rug in front of his spacious bed. When she didn't answer, he repeated the question, his anger rising.

"A few years-"

"And you never told me? I-I-I thought that y-you were my friend-"

"I'm still you're friend, I'll never stopped being one." She sat down next to him, watching his thin figure tremble beneath the sheets. They were quiet for a moment, only the occasional sniffle from Loki could be heard.

"I'm just another one of Odin's stolen relics…Aren't I?"

"No, you aren't. Do-"

"I am just another monster…." His skin started to turn from the Jotun blue to the normal delicate porcelain color that made him so different from his tanner brother. "Just like them." He muttered as he reluctantly let River tug him into her lap so that she acted as his pillow. She tugged the blanket around his delicate frame and gently rubbed his arm in a comforting manner.

"You're not a monster-" He turned over so that he wasn't facing his old friend, he didn't want anything to do with her. She had known, all that time, and never bothered to tell him. She had led him to believe that he was utterly normal, just a bit different than the rest when that obviously wasn't the case.

"They t-t-taught us that the frost Jotuns are pathetic monsters that slaughter everyone, just mindless beasts that destroy everything in sight-"

"But you aren't that, look at yourself. You're Loki, of Asgard, and you'll always be that way." She turned him over slightly, looking into his tear-filled eyes. "You'll always be that way, I promise." One thing she couldn't promise was whether or not he'd actually be welcomed by everyone in Asgard despite his new found powers.

"It doesn't change a-a-anything, it doesn't change th-that I am one of the monsters children have nightmares abo-"

"Loki? Are you in here?" A delicate voice called out and a little blonde woman poked her head into the room. "Oh, I'm dreadfully sor- Is he alright?" River sighed and looked down at him, petting his head a little, then looked up as she spoke.

"Just received some bad news." She gave the woman a bitter smile and then cocked her head to the side, curious about this woman. River had a feeling she knew who she was and wanted to leave the introduction to a later date, but decided not to. "I'm River Song, and you are?"

"Sigyn, Loki's…good friend."

"Girlfriend." Loki murmured, and with that, he gently shoved River aside so that he could bury his face into his down pillow. "She most likely won't be any more."

"W-Why not?" She stepped further towards them, revealing her intricate attire. An elegant purple, floor-length silk dress was just the basis for the outfit. A cape rested on her shoulders and glided along the floor as she approached them. River wanted to compliment her on the intricate and gorgeous bun that her blonde hair had been styled in, but felt that it was a bit inappropriate to say it at that time.

"It's," She sighed, "Very complicated-" _Much like your hair-do._

"I have plenty of time to listen."

"D-d-don't tell h-"

"Please tell m-"

"No."

"Loki, I demand to be told what is going on. You have been so secretive lately, I've been worried about you." She knelt at his bed side, taking his hand in hers. He let an eye peak out at her, but closed it and smushed his face into his pillow.

"Fine, tell her. Just leave me alone." A heavy silence played in the air until River finally got up from her spot beside Loki. As she stood up, she placed a hand on his back, hoping to comfort him.

"Call me if you n-"

"Leave."

"Right then." River pursed her lips, letting her eyes drift up to Sigyn's. "We'll talk outside." The pair headed for the door and when they approached the heavy wooden door, Sigyn turned around to see what Loki was doing. He was just watching them and he immediately tucked his head underneath his pillow when she had seen him.

"So, you are the infamous Lady Song." Sigyn whispered, a bitter smile crossing her pale face.

"Yes, quite appropriately named." River let out a bitter and quiet laugh as she closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry you had to see him like that."

"It is fine, but I would like to know why he was like that. I've never seen him so…so broken."

"It's a complicated family issue."

"Please elaborate." River bit her lip, not wanting to say anymore, but nodded for her to start walking. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and sighed, looking back up at Sigyn.

"Have you ever noticed…how different he is from the rest of Odin's family?"

"I cannot say I have, but he has always stood out to me."

"You see, he's much different than them, not just in looks or attitude. He's adopted."

"And that is why he is crying? It hardly seems like something that would upset him." She scoffed, rolling her eyes slightly.

"I don't think you understand. Everyone in Asgard has the same traits, strong, tan, they're all alike. He's not an Asgardian like yoursel-"

"He is a human?" They stopped and an awkward silence hung between them. River's eyes darted from side to side, surveying the large hallway to make sure no one could be listening.

"No, no, something much more powerful…He's, he's part ice Jotun-"

"What? I do not understand, he does not look like any of them! He cannot be, he's an Asgardian, just like the rest of us!"

"He's part Jotun part Asgardian…he's Laufey's son. Please, don't think any less of him. He loves you, he truly does." Another awkward silence followed, before Sigyn shook her head.

"That would explain wh-why he's so cold all the time." She bitterly laughed as she sank down to the floor, tears in her eyes.

"It explains many things, I'm begging you, please don't tell anyone else. Not even Odin, or Frigga. This must be kept a secret. From everyone." Sigyn nodded as she held her head in her hands. After a moment, she finally looked up at River.

"Why didn't he tell me? He tells me everything…"

"I don't think he knew, or at least, fully understood what was happening. He probably knew it would be best to hide it…that's what I would've done." They were quiet for a few more minutes, until she finally stood up to face River.

"Thank you for telling me…a-and I promise I won't tell a soul."

"You're welcome." River nodded to her and she watched Sigyn amble down the hall, wiping her eyes as her shoulders slumped slightly. River still stood where the two of them had just been standing, and she found herself being drawn back to Loki's room. She gently opened the door and stuck her head in once more. He was lying flat on his back, tears gently rolling down his cheeks as he stared aimlessly at the ceiling.

"Does Thor know?" He shook his head and lightly pursed his lips, holding back another round of tears.

"I do not know, I doubt it, he can be very dim sometimes."

"Would you like me to tell him?"

"I don't care, I don't care anymore."

"Please, don't do this to yourself, Loki. Don't beat yourself up, no one has to know about this."

"But they will all know eventually. Won't they? That is how it always ends." He shut his eyes and sniffed again, not noticing that River was walking over to stand by his bedside. She gently tugged the covers up around him and tucked him in, gently placing a kiss on his forehead, just like she used to do when he was younger.

"I'll be back to say good-bye before I leave….Do you need anything?"

"I just want to be left alone."

"I'm sorry I never told you. I really am."


End file.
